


Crash Course

by IdiotAnonymous



Series: Family Alternate Universe [1]
Category: League of Legends
Genre: F/M, M/M, family au, monster au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2014-11-27
Packaged: 2018-02-23 08:54:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2541752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IdiotAnonymous/pseuds/IdiotAnonymous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vladimir isn't usually one to talk things through unless he has to, and in this case he probably won't for awhile if ever. Ezreal lied to him, something that incubi are known full and well to do, and painful as the thought is the young blond can't blame Vlad for being angry. For good reason, Vladimir likely assumes that Ezreal has been trying to use him this whole time, even if it's far from the truth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ezreal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Runeslayer](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Runeslayer).



> Title is shamelessly taken from Left 4 Dead's campaign by the same name, it seemed fitting. This fic will be chaptered for once, but mostly due to POV changes during each one. :) This one sprung up from a chat with a friend of mine, so I will gift it to her for being amazing. Enjoy!

Without nearly as much effort as Ezreal had first assumed, he _finally_ feels the somewhat painful sensation of the base of his spine extending into a long, jet-black tail. Why it's black, he has no idea, but getting it to appear willingly for once is a nice change, especially when compared to before when it-- he shakes his head; he has no time to have his thoughts wander to other things besides discovering more about his own body.

Strange as it may sound, there's a lot he doesn't know, and worse yet, he only recently figured that out. Before, he assumed he was just a run-of-the-mill human with strange parents but no special abilities or quirks to show for it. Only recently due to a few uncontrollable incidents has the young blond found out how horribly wrong that assumption was. As to be expected, he was rather frightened at first, especially with Vladimir so close to what happened.

Talon, his mother despite being male most the time, is an incubus and that means most of those abilities _should_ be passed down to him. There were no signs of them before a few weeks ago, but now at least Ezreal knows what to look for thanks to his mom's advice. Ezreal should get wings, horns, a different eye appearance, slightly sharper versions of certain teeth, and a tail at the very least, but which combination of those or if he will get all of them is a complete mystery until trying to manifest them. He _should_ get all the physical characteristics Talon has, but one never knows what design the horns will take or what abilities he might get. Right now he's in a human form, but if he could just get his wings and such to--

A sound outside his door startles him, and he quickly grabs a nearby towel to wrap around his waist and thus hide his tail from view so long as it stays around his waist as he 'commands' it to. Vlad must _not_ know about this, h-he…he just can't. The only reason Ezreal is exposing his incubi parts right now is because Talon is keeping Vladimir busy and trapped downstairs by ranting at him about one thing or another, which gives the young blond some rare and much needed time alone. He…he just wants to see what his horns look like, maybe his wings too if he gets the chance, and then he'll be done. That's all he wants.

Whatever that noise was, no one walks through his bathroom door or even his bedroom door, so he thinks it safe to continue. Ezreal drops the towel, leaving himself naked once again; while not preferred, it's the only way to properly see his tail. The young male moves closer to the mirror, turning slightly to look at the base of his new blackened appendage in awe. It looks so strange, especially how his skin melts into black only for the tail portion and nowhere else.

He tilts his head slightly, in awe over this strange new thing; it seems smooth, though he's hesitant to touch it for fear of causing himself pain or something. Talon says that an incubi's tail is highly sensitive, but Ezreal isn't sure _how_ sensitive in comparison to anywhere else on his body. It doesn't take long for him to just try it anyway, bending down ever so slightly to gently grip the long, black appendage in his hand then stand upright again. He's right, it is very smooth…Ezreal blinks; it feels smooth, somewhat cold, almost like a snake but without any scales…well, that is a little more than weird.

Next, he tests out moving it around a bit. Ezreal's tail honestly looks a lot like a rat's but without those segments and not quite as thick to his proportions-- he also finds completely by accident that is surprisingly prehensile. It can curl in on itself like a chameleon's or around anything else he wants to grip, such as his hand in this case. It feels strange…not like his own skin, as said before, but he doesn't quite know how to describe it besides the snake thing which seems too far off the mark. The young blond manually unravels it from his hand, seeing as he has a bit of trouble moving the tail itself to do so. He'll have time for practicing tail movements another day, hopefully, but for now he should get back to what he originally came in here for.

Ezreal turns back to his reflection, focusing again on his head to try and get those darn horns to show up already. Those are the main ones he wants to see, as they are highly unique from incubus to incubus according to Talon. Some are geared more toward display than battle while others are just the opposite, though both can be used for either purpose to some degree, but which one he will get is anyone's guess. Talon had also said it is because of these horns that incubi and succubi are largely considered to be demons-- well, that and their not so savory reputation, but it's not the truth no matter the reason. They're simple monsters like dragons or werewolves, but with a _lot_ of genetic flexibility.

After a few minutes, Ezreal again sighs; no luck. Maybe he isn't trying hard enough? Again, he focuses on his head and gives it all he's got-- then ends up yelping and averting his eyes from _his own reflection_. H-he did not expect _that_ to happen, it…he gives a quiet groan at his own behavior then steps forward toward the mirror once again; well, his gender changed, maybe now those horns will appear. This is a basic incubi and succubi ability, but not one Ezreal uses too often…er…minus a few times by mistake. He-- _she_ looks over herself and is surprised to see there really isn't much a difference.

Between men and women's bodies, most of the distinction between them is really in the face and skull, but that aside there's her chest is _slightly_ larger to accompany for the mammary glands and her hips are a bit wider due to the whole larger pelvis in preparation for childbirth thing. Ezreal turns around a few times, out of curiosity more than anything, then once again leans to her reflection; she's never seen herself as a female before…now she can understand how Vladimir sometimes makes a mistake about her gender. Ezreal blinks, standing up straight once again; has he smelled this ability of hers, she wonders? Is that why he comments on her being so feminine while in a male form?

…And now her face is a little flushed, but unlike her usual gender there are no other indications of her, erm, _wandering_ thoughts. Ezreal shakes her head once again; focus, focus on the head and hopefully those pesky horns will show themselves. Really, it's probably a bit more like angrily glaring at her reflection than truly focusing, but what else is she supposed to do? She's tried envisioning those horns forming, she's tried focusing on the feeling rather than the sight, and she's tried just relaxing her entire body then checking every now and again. What is she missing?

Another sigh escapes her; she's wasting valuable time by doing nothing at all. Sure, Ezreal's finally seen herself as a female and finally _willingly_ brought that tail of hers into showing itself, but the young blonde still has yet to see those supposedly unique horns and it's _really_ eating at her. Who wouldn't want to see some fancy thing that is theirs and no one knows what it will look like, not even the owner? No one, that's who. Ezreal backs away from the mirror, glancing back at her bedroom door then the pile of clothes at her feet; she should stop, who knows when Vlad will be free to wander off again and find her.

Love him as she does, Vlad can't know about her species, or at least not for now. He thinks she's human, and it should stay like that for her sake and his until she can think of a way to tell him. Worry mixes with her burning curiosity, causing her to tense up and shift slightly in place; yes, she should stop. Maybe some other day she'll get more time to herself in order to practice moving her tail and manifesting her horns…and controlling when her gender changes. Right now, when she becomes frightened or, er, _stimulated_ it tends to switch automatically. Needless to say, she's almost been found out because of this many times.

Yet another wave of dread passes through her, mostly in remembering how close Vlad was to finding out her little secret kept so aggressively from him. Ezreal wishes she could tell him, keeping secrets from him feels far too shady for a relationship such as theirs, but…Vladimir's species and her species don't get along _at all_ and it becomes clearer and clearer everyday that they never will. Vampires despise incubi and succubi's habits and 'disgusting genetic muck', making them only fond of the latter species as meals and nothing else. They fight, both verbally and physically, and all around seem to hate each other.

Talon and Vlad are excellent sources of this, as both yell and fight often when Swain is nowhere to be found…which is a lot, so basically all the time. Vlad, being a vampire, despises Talon's 'vile' species reputation, which Ezreal can't blame him for, but refuses to see that Talon is vastly different from other incubi and does in fact care for his daughter despite being busy with assassin work rather often. Her mother worked hard to become a better person, er, monster, after meeting Swain and has been a wonderful parent as a result.

Likewise, Talon hates Vladimir's species for just about the same reason; vampires are powerful and proud creatures, making them dangerous as well as 'maddening' to deal with. Talon fears Vlad might hurt Ezreal, but her _bodyguard_ tends to do his job exceedingly well, going above and beyond to keep her safe. Vlad can get a little rough sometimes while playing or feeding, but he keeps her safe even if it means he gets injured in the process of doing so.

But…that said, Ezreal doubts he would tolerate her keeping such a large secret from him. Vlad has stated countless times he hates incubi, and…and Ezreal doubts she will be an exception this time around. Sure, he got used to what he thought, for good reason, was a human, but…but this is different, this is a species he hates even more than he does humans. He finds incubi and succubi revolting in every way, which Ezreal can't say she blames him for, and…she sighs; her large beast of a bodyguard will likely kill her for being such…such a disgusting creature.

Fear is usually pretty easy to overcome with Ezreal, but this time is a bit more difficult. She glances to her reflection-- and immediately darts over to get a closer look. She has no idea why, but _finally_ those two horns she tried so hard to see sit perched on either side of her head, much like a bull or a sheep. She grins; they do look like a ram's, curling forward a bit in quite a decadent fashion. They aren't exactly like ram horns, they don't do a loop then sit forward, they merely do one smooth curve down then up a bit and forward…strangely, they resemble dragon horns more than a ram's come to think of it. Design wise, they look like large scales. How odd…but they are not too large, which she likes, and not terribly sharp-looking, which is helpful, so they are likely more display than defense.

With far less hesitance than with her tail, Ezreal brings her left hand up to gently trace the scaly, jet-black curve all the way to its point; not at all sharp, as expected, but she greatly enjoys being able to see it nonetheless. They're smooth minus the slight indents where the scales, or bone, interlink with one another. They're so…her. They seem to complete her, they perfectly compliment her personality and features, she thinks. True, the young blonde could easily be thinking too far into it, but--

"E-Ezreal!?" Never has Ezreal heard Vladimir stutter, and she doubts she will live long enough to ever hear it again. His voice is thick with bewilderment and rage, shock and betrayal; the young blonde wastes little time in wrapping a towel around herself as well as over her head like a hood or cloak. It won't do her any good, but hopefully it will spare her some pain down the line.

The small female backs away from her no doubt angry bodyguard whom so now 'guards' the only exit to her bathroom; Vlad's face appears more confused than angry, but that will change any given second. Ezreal begins to shake, lowering her head and not bothering to keep her tail around her waist any longer. He already knows, it won't do her too much good anymore…mostly, she has no focus to put into moving her new appendage. For now, all she can do is stare helplessly at her beloved companion and hope he finds it in him to end this quickly.

Vladimir's mouth opens and closes a few times, he shakes his head and blinks his eyes as if in disbelief; he so truly thought she was human, Ezreal can't imagine the shock it is to him. Thanks to Swain's blood, her father's of course, she smelled and tasted and felt and looked and basically might as well been entirely human; Vladimir adored her without her mother's 'putrid, disgusting genetics' and Ezreal can’t say she blames him. He could get over the fact she was human, it took awhile but he did, and now…now this.

She swallows, taking a few shaky steps toward him, "V--" no, better to not use his name right now, he might find it offensive, "p-please, _please_ go easy on me-- d-don't hurt me." Vlad's eyes…they're as heated as she's ever seen them, _livid_ as she's ever seen them. The young blonde freezes in her tracks, then falls to her knees without even realizing it herself until feeling the pain that jolts through them from hitting tile so harshly.

Hesitantly, she continues, "I-I would have told you, I truly would have, b-but you hate mother so much and I thought you would…you would be just as angry with me-- no, maybe even _more_ with me than you are with mom." Vladimir just stands there, scrutinizing her more than she did herself in that mirror not too long ago. It feels like forever since she has legitimately feared her large companion, so many years…"I-I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to…I didn't know--!"

Abruptly, she squeaks, trying in vain to back away from the beast that now strides what few paces he must to stand right before her-- no, now he's dragging her forward by her neck toward the carpet of her bedroom before stopping just short of it. Ezreal can't help but whine so pitifully even she herself would be irritated by it were she in Vladimir's position; she begs, oh does she beg for him to let her go and instead talk this out or something, _anything_ but this. Sadly, he doesn't let her go, he seats himself in front of her and keeps her neck in a vice-like grip.

This was expected, but is no less terrifying to experience. His eyes…they're such a deep, beautiful crimson with simple black slits for pupils; they're so unique, she thinks, and so pretty. She's always adored his eyes, even when he makes them look like a human's. Ezreal breaks contact with them despite such attraction to those blood-red orbs; she can't find it in herself to look at him while he's so, so angry. Usually when she sees his eyes like this, they are alone and enjoying each other's company…he usually shows them in their true appearance when no one else is around to see it. Sure, he uses them to intimidate others or show his rage, but…usually, her dear bodyguard will save them for pleasant conversations or just as pleasing physical interactions between the two.

Strangely, the grip around her neck loosens soon after Ezreal looks away from Vlad, to which she dares not make contact with his gaze for fear of triggering another strike. Maybe he thought she was staring him down? She…she couldn't help but look at his eyes, she meant no offense by it. Ezreal glances up at him from behind her lashes, caring not to tilt her head up too much, and quickly notes he is again looking her over with great attention. What is he doing?

The most she can assume is that he's sizing her up, seeing how much meat might be provided by devouring her. Ezreal directs her gaze back downward, somewhat surprised to see the tip of her tail right at her feet. Her towel is mostly wrapped around her still, and she's partially sitting on it, but the blonde does try to subtly shift in order to sit a bit more comfortably. Cross-legged might not be 'ladylike', but it's comfortable and the towel covers her anyway, so she could care less right now.

Vladimir's head snaps in the direction of that movement, causing Ezreal to start, "S-sorry!" Vlad tilts her head up using his free hand, his eyes narrowing somewhat the moment he sees her face. Are…are her eyes different, like Talon's sometimes get when he's mad? She shrinks away from his touch, looking downward once again the second she is able; it's better to not enrage him further by letting him see her eyes-- or he might want just that, as he pulls down the towel so it no longer covers her head, and thus her horns.

She whimpers, but doesn't dare try and pull her towel back over her head. Vlad leans forward, examining her horns closely, as to why Ezreal is unsure but dreads the reason behind it. The young female doesn’t want to move, she doesn't want to talk, she just wants her dear companion to calm down-- instead, he starts feeling at her horns. Is…is he going to snap her neck? Tear her head off? He's tracing the things just as Ezreal had done, but every now and again he gives them a few firm tugs, as if to see how well attached they are.

He…he's not thinking of tearing those off, is he…? Vlad continues tracing them, rubbing them, tugging them; he's being tender with his actions right now, but Ezreal knows all too well how quickly such things can take a turn for the worst. She bows her head, trying to avoid his touch but at the same time not look _too_ much like that's what she's-- Ezreal shudders, biting back a sound not at all fitting for the situation. Vlad touched the base of her left horn and…well, now she understands what Talon said about those horns being sensitive at places.

Despite this, Vladimir shows no sign of cheering up or calming down, much to Ezreal's growing terror. Her bodyguard switches his attention to her tail soon after giving a harsh tug to that same obsidian bone, not seeming bothered by the discomfort it causes his mate. This time, Ezreal is _highly_ uncomfortable with his touching and quickly withdraws her tail; he could snap it, pull it out, tear it apart, bite it, slash it, cut it…there are far too many horrible things he could do to something so sensitive as her poor tail.

Unfortunately, Ezreal is in no position to decide what Vladimir can or cannot prod at, and this is further proved by her companion quickly snatching it back and giving a harsh growl in warning to not try that again. Ezreal lowers her head again, averting her gaze and whining all the while; why did he have to walk in…? "Please, _please_ , V-- d-don't--" she inhales through her teeth, making a sort of hissing noise in response to Vlad giving a sharp tug to near the base of her tail. It is a strange, painful sensation that throbs through her entire spine to the point where it almost feels as if it shifts. It doesn't, but it feels as if it did. She…she knew he would do this…

The large creature bares his teeth, but doesn't growl this time and instead returns to his…whatever he's doing. Vlad finally releases her neck, his full attention turning to her tail in once again what almost looks like curiosity over anger or bitterness. That said, he soon ends up scowling, his right hand trailing from the base of her black appendage all the way to its tip-- then once again tugging on it in a not at all gentle manner. Ezreal flinches, but does her best not to back away.

It's probably best that she didn't, as Vlad leans down a bit, part of her tail in hand, then…licks it? Is he trying to see if it tastes the same as she does? Ezreal isn't sure if it does or not, but right about now she desperately hopes it does. The young female isn't sure how long Vlad plans to play with his food, but with any luck a familiar taste will…no...Ezreal turns away from Vladimir's hand at her tail, daring not to watch. He won't spare her, she knows this, it's only a matter of how long he wants to spend finding out how different she is now as opposed to before.

That licking turns to light biting, as the young female assumed it would, and Ezreal squirms a bit then does her best to back away from the larger creature without causing herself any pain in doing so. Vladimir utters a feral snarl, quickly grabbing her neck then pulling her to him once again; this time, he holds her face in front of his. His teeth are bared, and it seems as if that growling snarl will never end; he snaps his jaws every now and again, but never leans toward her while doing that. Nevertheless, Ezreal can't help it, she can't, the burning in her eyes…she can't manage to hold back those tears that have threatened to spill out the moment Vladimir found her like…like _this_.

Usually it isn't this way…typically she can yell back at Vlad if he's being grumpy or can calm him down pretty easily if he seems upset about something, but…but this is far different. Usually Vladimir doesn't find out Ezreal is a species he despises, a species known to trick others for their own gain, and one Vlad takes great pleasure in killing because of it. The only reason he leaves Talon alive is for her sake, because she loves her mother even if they don't always get along too well…now it is unlikely he will be so kind. Ezreal manages a choked sob, mostly due to the lack of air she is getting, then another plea, "V-Vladimir! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please, p-please don't!" She must look so pathetic, she never normally begs or pleads or anything of that sort with _anyone_. Sadly, it might just be her only chance of survival.

She doesn't see Vladimir's reaction, as she closes her eyes while continuing that same plea in varying order over and over again; it quiets down over time, but it's all she can do. She can't fight him, he's purposely stronger than her as his job _is_ to protect her…well, that and vampires are generally stronger than incubi, throw in the fact that the young blonde is mostly human and that's a recipe for disaster. Maybe if she were older and knew how to use her wings or tail or anything really, she could fight him, but…but not now.

Far too long she spends choking out apologies and pleas for her life, it seems to go on forever, really, and with no sign of an ending. Vladimir is notorious for playing with his food, he enjoys fear and begging and really everything he is getting from her right now-- without warning, Vladimir pulls her closer then…then he kisses her cheek…? Ezreal blinks, finally opening her eyes to look to her large companion; he's kissing her…she knows he's cruel while playing with food, but this is well beyond that.

He slowly starts lapping up her tears, as he so often does when he sees her crying, but he feels tense as he does it. Slowly but surely his grip on her neck loosens, providing Ezreal with more and more air as it does. She shouldn't, but the young female starts to calm down bit by bit. At this rate, if he does kill her, at least she won't be too stressed about it…Ezreal sniffles then shakes her head; no, no, don't think like that. Unrealistic as it is, there is a chance he is calming down. It's slim, but it's there.

Vladimir pulls her closer to him once more, this time by her hips rather than her neck, and situates her directly in front of his own now crossed legs; by now, rather than pleading with him, Ezreal turns to thanking him. It's too early for it, she knows, but _maybe_ he's calming down and _maybe_ he's in a forgiving mood. The young blonde has lied to him about her species, a high offense needless to say, but…but Vlad is a good man to her, he'll…he'll let her go with a warning, right? They've known each other for as long as Ezreal has been alive, he…he won't simply throw that away, will he? Then again, those years are nothing to one whom so has lived longer than Ezreal can ever hope to.

"Ezreal." This is not a questioning tone, it is a demand for attention; Ezreal quickly snaps her focus to him rather than over his shoulder or somewhere on the ground or her tail or-- "How long have you known?" He…he doesn't sound happy at all. His actions before might have been affectionate in nature, but Ezreal is starting to doubt there was any feeling behind them.

She swallows, wiping her face with her towel then sniffling once again, "Not long," she hiccups, "I-I would have told you, but I…I didn't want you to be upset." Ezreal again looks down, this time to Vladimir's usual crimson shirt, "You hate incubi, and I didn't want you to have to live with another one…or lose interest." She shakes her head, "I know it was selfish, but I didn't want to lose you to something like that. I was trying to think of a way to tell you that _somehow_ wouldn't make you upset, but…I was starting to think it's impossible."

Her bodyguard, friend, and companion all in one gives an irritated grunt then shakes his head; immediately, her heart sinks. Ezreal opens her mouth to protest his action, but Vladimir beats her to it in an instant, "It was you that insisted we not keep secrets from one another, yet you yourself are the one whom so broke such an agreement. You asked me to share with you everything about myself, from my life in the woods to relations with my former master all the way up to when and how I met you, but you could not provide me with the same kindness?"

Silence. This was the main concern in Ezreal's eyes, breaking her own agreement, but she had no idea Vlad took it so seriously. The way he spoke about it made it sound like a gag to him that he would humor for her sake, she had no idea he considered it so important. Frankly, she _should_ have known, but it simply never occurred to the young blonde that he held that agreement as highly as any other between them.

"I…I had no idea it meant that much to you--!" Vladimir snarls again, cutting her off swiftly by once again grabbing her neck; it's far harder to breathe than it was the last time, but her main focus is trying to figure out what went so wrong with her reply.

Vladimir's growl slowly subsides, then he grunts, "All your kind does is lie. You lied to me in order to later use me, then you would move to the next after your 'work' was done. That is always how it is and always how it will be with you disgusting, sorry excuse for creatures; all you look toward is expanding that puddle of muck you call a genetic pool." He quite forcefully pushes the young female away from him, standing soon after then turning to leave. "I will have nothing to do with it."

Ezreal jumps to her feet, rubbing her sore neck but not at all giving much thought into just how angry her companion might be; he could easily kill her and get away with it, but she persists. "W-wait! Vladimir, please, I'm not trying to trick you! I _do_ love you, that's the reason I never said anything! Please, you have to believe me, I'm _not_ just trying to sleep with you or something!" Try as she might, her bodyguard pays no heed and leaves the room almost as abruptly as he appeared.

Again, Ezreal falls to her knees with her eyes locked where her companion used to be. This time, however, the young blonde has no will to hold back the tears burning in her eyes; everything happened so quickly she can still hardly believe it. The man she's known all her life, the first she ever grew to love and later found out loves her just as much if not more so, now despises her with every fiber of his being. Vlad has every right to, she guesses, but…it's no less difficult to swallow.

Eventually, the young female comes to and snaps out of her daze; dinner will be soon, and she had better get dressed and seated before then.

-x-x-

Unsure of how quickly any bruises might form from his encounter, Ezreal is sure to put on a turtleneck sweater rather than his usual attire. Yes, his, he finally got himself to change back after about thirty minutes of crying then another five spent focusing on the mirror again. It’s a cool day today, so no one should suspect anything, but _if_ Talon happens to become suspicious, at least he hopefully won't find anything and that will mean any other days wearing one should be in the clear.

After getting dressed, Ezreal heads downstairs and to the dinner table as per usual this time of day; thankfully, he arrives on time. Had he appeared late, he likely would be questioned further than he might already be for wearing clothing he doesn't _usually_ wear. He does occasionally wear turtlenecks and is somewhat fond of them, but not terribly often despite owning a few of such shirts. Vladimir finds them attractive on him and infrequently wears a few himself, so that might be the reason the young blond _does_ wear them when he does…besides the obvious hiding teeth marks that will eventually heal.

He holds back a sigh, resting his chin on the table soon after sitting down; Vlad is sitting in his usual spot beside the younger male's seat, but says nothing and hardly even acknowledges Ezreal from when he enters the room to when he sits down beside his guard. Ezreal glances to Vladimir often as they wait for food to be served-- though he quickly notes in between glancing to Vlad then the table that Swain seems to be reluctant to leave his study today and hasn't even come to the table yet. Talon will probably have to drag him out at some point before serving dinner properly. Again.

Until then, silence aside from some kitchen noises and the nearby fireplace engulfs the room. Vlad usually is quick to start conversation with the young blond, especially when the two are alone, but now his guard refuses to so much as look at Ezreal, much less speak to him. Not wishing to irritate the large creature further, Ezreal keeps quiet as best he can; it isn't easy, that's for sure, as all he wants to do is talk to his dearest companion.

Vladimir isn't usually one to talk things through unless he has to, and in this case he probably won't for awhile, if ever. Ezreal lied to him, something that incubi are known full and well to do, and painful as the thought is, the young blond can't blame Vlad for being angry. For good reason, Vladimir likely assumes that Ezreal has been trying to use him this whole time, even if it's far from the truth. He's had to calm Vlad down many times over the years to _avoid_ , er, overly-intimate moments with the large beast. Talon ask Ezreal to wait, something his mom never could do, and the boy was more than willing to do so; he's not exactly used to affectionate gestures yet, so--

"…And how many times must I all but drag you out of your blasted study room until you start showing up for dinner when I ask?" The dinning room doors slam open shortly before silence is overtaken by Talon's rather irritated voice. Swain follows him, nodding along but probably not listening too intently; he tends to keep focused on whatever he was reading before being taken out of his study. "All I ask is for everyone to be here on time so no ones' dinner becomes cold and so those who _do_ get here on time and are _hungry_ can finally eat." He pulls out Swain's chair, the one at the front of the table of course, then points to it with quite the scowl on his face.

Swain takes his seat without comment on that expression, "Thank you, dear." His tone is the usual, and his lack of apologizing, or saying much of anything really, gets a huff from Talon before the assassin stomps back into the kitchen. Well, he doesn't exactly stomp per say, but he might as well have.

As per usual, Swain has a newspaper in hand and continues his reading from the table. Talon despises this, but stopped trying to argue about it after a few years; being head of a city-state isn't easy, and Swain likes to stay on top of everything currently happening. That, and if anything strange gets published without him giving the okay, he wants to see it then quiet it down before it becomes an issue. While uncommon, it's happened before so he gets a little tense if he doesn't get to read the paper within the day.

So, despite Swain and his raven's late arrival, the room still remains quiet. Come to think of it, Ezreal doesn't remember hearing Talon leave the kitchen area…must have been too caught up in his thoughts to notice. He holds back a sigh; hopefully Vladimir will get past all this quickly, or else Ezreal is in for an excruciating rest of his life. Vladimir keeps his attention on either the kitchen door behind him or the fireplace in front of him, never once glancing Ezreal's way. This…this isn't right at all…not even when Vlad is at his most infuriated does he do this.

The kitchen doors fly open, Talon walking through while expertly balancing several large plates of food. How he even does that, Ezreal has no idea, but it saves time having to go back and forth for each one. He sets each plate in the center of the table somewhere, then seats himself at the corner near the bottom of the table; often times, Talon will sit a few seats away from Swain, not out of spite but to place himself a bit closer to Ezreal. He does this today, sitting across from the younger male and examining him as closely as ever, likely due to the turtleneck. And here Ezreal was blissfully and ignorantly thinking his mother would ignore it and leave him be.

Everyone begins choosing their foods and whatnot, passing plates or requesting things as needed. Their table is pretty big, and this is only one section of more they can add on if needed for guests and the like, but for now it seems perfect. There is one seat on the top end, Swain's, and four others on each side. Ezreal sits at the opposite end at the left corner, Talon electing to sit on the right in order to 'subtly' look the boy over. Swain never minds when his wife sits so far, he doesn't usually give much dinner conversation since his promotion anyway, but even when he does talk it's no bother to him how far each one sits.

Ezreal begins eating early on, but quickly drops off and loses his appetite; his stomach might still beg him to eat, but…but he can't manage it after what happened earlier. He picks at his food and tries to look as if he's eating longer than he truly does, but of course that won't work on Talon. For now, though, he looks to his bodyguard often; Vlad still has quite the appetite, devouring everything on his plate then adding more soon after. He could eat everything in this house, residents included, and still be unsatisfied.

Another struggle to hold back his sigh; Vlad probably won't speak to him much, if at all, for awhile. It looks like the larger male will pretend to guard the younger, but it is unlikely that the two will be even close to friendly for awhile. Ezreal looks back down to his plate, biting back tears this time around; his only friend in this place is Vladimir, and his friend is the only one he ever talks to it seems. Swain is busy, Talon is busy, and Vlad…Vlad dotes on him and cares for him more than the other two combined. Vlad is far more than just some bodyguard…he's the boy's best friend and companion, even if not officially so.

"Are you well?" Talon, whom so has been eyeing the boy since walking into the dining area, speaks up after likely holding back to try and figure out for himself what has been plaguing Ezreal. Talon probably assumes Vlad hurt him, which isn't at all far from the truth, or something like that. His mother hates Vladimir, as to be expected of an incubus forced to live with one of its natural predators, and accuses the larger male of anything from forcing the boy to stay with him in their bed to devouring parts of him then healing Ezreal up for another meal later.

As predictable as the question is, the break in silence outside of metal on glass still startles the boy, "Y-yes, I'm fine." Thankfully, his stutter this time around is due to the sudden question, not embarrassment or fear. Even so, it peeves him a bit not that there's anything he can do about it now.

Talon isn't buying it, he raises a brow on his otherwise scowly face, "You do not seem well. Usually you are inhaling your food so quickly I have to ask you slow down before you choke, but now you have hardly touched your meal regardless of it being one of your favored dishes." He again seems to zero in on the boy's neck, then glares at Vladimir even though the creature is hardly even paying attention to either of them.

The young male huffs, "I'm fine, I'm just not hungry." His stomach has said otherwise many times, but hopefully-- oh, who is he kidding, Talon no doubt noticed and will grill him on it later and that expression on his mother's face all but confirms it. Ezreal glares right back, though without any feeling behind it this time around. All he wants to do is go upstairs and hug Vladimir all night, muttering apologies or anything else he has to.

His glare fades quickly until no sign of it remains; what is he going to do with himself with Vladimir acting as he is? Ezreal's only entertainment and happiness comes from his companion, and now that is out of the question. There must be a way to fix this…maybe time, or maybe Ezreal needs to prove himself. He shakes his head, soon deciding to push his plate forward in order to set his arms on the table then rest his chin on the both of them, much to Talon's irritation and concern.

-x-x-

Dinner passes without event, and the second he is excused from the table the young male heads to his room upstairs. Vlad will no doubt arrive up there eventually as well, but sadly Ezreal is alone for a good few minutes before deciding he should prepare for bed to pass the time. He takes a bath, brushes his teeth, and changes his clothes; everything he can do to burn time without looking too desperate. Usually Vlad would have shown up for the bath, but…he's nowhere to be seen during that time.

Without Vlad around, he certainly gets a lot of time to think over their fight and the more detailed explanation of why Vlad was so upset. Ezreal has known seemingly forever that Vladimir despises incubi and succubi, but the comments made about it were usually about genetics and 'ranking' of sorts. Vampires, as powerful as they are, dislike soiling their bloodline as it will usually make their species weaker; that said, many still mate with and become loyal to humans. Oddly, humans do not drastically affect their abilities, so while most still dislike the idea it could be far worse.

On top of this, vampires are proud of their power and look down upon those weaker than themselves, and this includes incubi and succubi. While true _some_ of the latter have bred with enough powerful creatures to make offspring that match a vampire's strength if not exceed it, it is only due to this genetic diversity and trickery of others that they are able to do this. Incubi and succubi will often target vampires due to their power and lifespan being unlimited until killed off, which makes them detested even further.

Vlad has mentioned those on many occasions, but he never quite said just how much the trickery aspect enrages him. The two species have horrible reputations as deceptive seducers, which they are, and this appears especially revolting to a species so loyal to their mate or, on _extremely_ rare occasions, mate _s_. Each party must approve of each mate if there are multiples, usually a few males and a single female, and each one only mates with those within its mated group. In the case of pairs, this is the same; each one will only mate with the other and there is no straying unless the other is dead or each has decided to find an additional partner. In same-sex scenarios, which they themselves are rare, this is common.

The point is, Vladimir has openly despised incubi since discovering Talon is one, and of course hated them prior just not as vocally, which didn't take long with a nose as sensitive to blood as his is. Vlad has assumed Ezreal was human for whatever reason, possibly due to Swain's half according to Talon, but…but Ezreal is grateful he didn’t find out for as long as he did. He sighs, exiting the bathroom after what seems like an eternity; he just wants his companion back…

It isn't until Ezreal exits the bathing room that he finally sees his guard again, this time curled up peacefully on their bed without any sign of irritation on his face. The young male smiles, trying his best to stay quiet and avoid waking the large bodyguard as he walks over then hops up onto their bed. He half expected Vlad to sleep across the room or something to avoid being near Ezreal, but maybe he's calmed down a bit and is willing to accept company. Well, that, or he is far too used to their comfortable bed to sleep anywhere else.

He plops down next to his companion, daring to give his large guardian a small kiss under the chin prior to settling down to sleep. Ezreal doesn't dare talk to his guard right now for fear of angering him again, but with any luck Vlad will be up to talking tomorrow-- soon after getting comfortable next to his partner, Ezreal's back hits the wall a few feet away before his arm slams onto the floor below. No warning, no growl, no snarl, no baring of teeth, just a sharp pain in the chest and stomach before flying across the bed and into the wall nearby.

Vladimir grunts, looking at the young male then turning his attention to the wall; he…he could have kicked harder, at least that's a good sign-- "Good, the wall was not harmed." Oh…Ezreal struggles to sit up, the wind knocked out of him and his arm and just below the sternum hurting like nothing else. Vladimir watches, appearing slightly amused for the first time since their fight, but does nothing to help and offers no apology. Why would he? He clearly did this purposely.

Ezreal clutches his arm, then struggles to stand up; maybe he should wait until his back doesn't hurt and he can breathe properly. That might be the best plan for him right now, seeing as Vlad won't help and might even try to do it again. Why did he do that? Ezreal looks up to his companion as best he can, his furrowed brow hopefully asking his question well enough as he is in no condition to speak until he can catch his breath. His chest hurts far too much anyway.

His large companion snickers, lying back down soon enough as if not willing to put effort into holding eye contact with the boy, "You stay down there where you belong, deceptive mutt." Ezreal winces, but holds back any comment or complaint. If he says anything more, Vlad will simply lash out again or even-- and cue the door opening and it no doubt being his mother.

"What was that sound?!" Are the first words out of Talon's mouth as he slams open the door and quickly scans the room; his eyes, naturally, lock on Ezreal. Concern flashes through his eyes and other features for a split second, then he has his usual neutralish-angry expression, "What happened here? Are you hurt, Ezreal?" He's by the younger male's side in an instant, kneeling to check the arm Ezreal cradles so carefully as well as the lower chest area that the boy can't help but rub when he can no longer stand the pain of it.

Out of all the truths that can be said, Ezreal settles for only a partial, "I fell out of bed." Oh, how it hurts to talk; his chest aches so horribly, even when simply breathing. Ezreal tries to ignore that for now. He could easily get Vlad in trouble, Talon would believe him in a heartbeat, but that wouldn't exactly help his situation. Maybe this will finally show Vlad how loyal the boy is to him, even when his species is by no means honorable? It's worth a try.

Talon, of course, doesn't believe a word of it, "Then why is it this arm and not your other? If you had rolled off from this side as you so claim, it would be your opposite arm." Oh, boy, he has a point. "It does not appear to be broken, but clearly you hit the ground with some force. That is not to mention your chest and back, which are _also_ in pain."

Sheepishly, the boy grins and replies, "I, er, must have landed very wrong then? I did try and turn to land on my hands instead of my side, but it didn't work out too well I must have turned too much in what small time I had." Talon narrows his eyes, but the story is plausible for the arm part; as for the back and chest…not so much. "I think my arm gouged my chest or something."

He gently presses his fingers along Ezreal's arm, testing each part of it until meeting with a pained hiss at the shoulder. Talon mumbles an apology, but quickly winds up doing the same with Ezreal's chest. It's clear he doesn't mean for it to hurt, the assassin is exceedingly kind to his family and close friends, so Ezreal tries not to let it show too much. Talon is just trying to help, after all, and thoroughly examines the younger male quickly and quietly for the most part.

"You _think_?" The assassin is clearly buying none of it, and his attention shifts from Ezreal's arm and chest to the younger male's face. "What happened here, Ezreal? Tell me the truth." Well, the truth isn't exactly an option right now unless Talon wants his son devoured the second he leaves the room…Ezreal tries his best not to glance to Vlad, as that would probably implicate the guard in all this, but it's tough not to at that thought.

Ezreal huffs, trying his best to appear offended, "I'm telling you all I know, alright? It happened quickly, I was adjusting and didn't realize how close I was to the edge and then fell off, and that's it. Sheesh, what else would it be?" The young blond stands up, staggering a little and immediately getting some help from his mother in order to stand properly and not topple over, then climbs up onto his bed. Vladimir glances at him, his eyes showing every bit of hatred that he had earlier that day, but thankfully doesn't lash out…yet.

His mother watches carefully, likely noting that Vlad didn't come to Ezreal's aid or even so much as ask if the boy was alright. Vlad is usually highly protective of the young boy, so this is no doubt a strange sight. Talon glares at the both of them, "Make sure it does not happen again, as I will ensure you both are punished if it does." Yep, he bought none of it.

Another angry huff from Ezreal, "Punished? Really? For an accident? Come on, mom, that's ridiculous--"

"I assure you it is not. If it happens again, clearly it is no accident. I will let you both off with warnings for now, but you will not get off easy next time. I am far too tired to deal with your shenanigans tonight." Talon pinches the bridge of his nose, no doubt fighting off some headache, then turns to leave. He gives a parting glare, but aside from that he is gone without any other comments or gestures. Ezreal gives a relived sigh after a few moments of silence to ensure the other is gone.

That was far too close for Ezreal's liking, which goes without saying. Talon is a clever man, _far_ too clever to fall for any stupid lies like those…in all likelihood, he assumed the blond and Vlad were wrestling or something again. Vladimir enjoys showing off his strength, and that's probably the best way to do it. It's also an excuse to be _very_ close to Ezreal, but that also goes without saying. Point is, Talon likely assumed it was no big deal as usual…it's sad that Ezreal almost wishes he caught on so the boy would have some help here.

For now, he's on his own, he guesses. Ezreal looks down to his arm and gently prods at it; it doesn't hurt as much as his chest and back do, that's for sure. Vlad really did a number on him, even without putting full force into it...the young male can hardly imagine what it would be like if Vlad weren't holding back. He shudders; better to not find out.

Vladimir, who thankfully stayed quiet that whole time Talon was here, suddenly growls at the younger male and bares his teeth. Ezreal's eyes widen, and he immediately scrambles toward the edge of the bed; he had forgotten he got back up here for show, just so Talon would leave. If Vlad doesn't want him up there, he has no problems with the couch tonight if it means he doesn't get-- hurt.

Easily as ever, Vladimir pulls the smaller male under himself and quickly covers Ezreal's mouth in one smooth motion; he's done this many times, so it is no surprise. What _is_ a surprise is the sheer fury expressed during this, as Vlad never usually gets _this_ mad at the young blond. Well, he certainly is now, and the large male is quick to pin Ezreal down against the bed below; usually, this would be rather exciting, but now it's purely frightening.

Unfortunately, the extreme terror triggers Ezreal's horns to appear again, and he feels his tail grow out again and, regrettably, his gender changes once again in an attempt to dissuade Vlad from killing him-- er, well, her. Ezreal makes no attempt to call for help or bite the hand covering her mouth, but she certainly struggles against him for awhile. She can't help it, he's doing everything he would do if he intended to devour her…why does he have to be this way?

Vladimir presses his body downward again, giving a not at all friendly thrust against the small female to keep her from squirming out from under him. One of his arms quickly holds her middle to him, somehow getting between the bed and the young female's belly in order to do so, while his legs keep hers from being used effectively. Naturally, Vlad's hips over hers gives that stupid animal part of her quite the rush, but they both know that is by no means Vlad's intention tonight.

Her large and furious guard snarls abruptly, likely noting the horns-- then tugging one of them downward using his fanged mouth; even if that horn is bone, Ezreal easily feels how much pressure he puts into that bite. It’s a miracle that horn doesn't break or end up torn off, but maybe the positioning helps a little. Vlad, as is painfully obvious, is _massively_ taller than Ezreal, as he stands somewhere around six foot seven while Ezreal barely competes at a tiny five foot two. Because of this, their current position forces Vlad to lean down quite a bit, not that it bothers him clearly-- until, seemingly on cue, he changes this.

Lifting the young female by the back of her neck _using his teeth_ , Vlad pulls her up to better level their heads even if his ends up slightly under hers soon enough. Vlad is now hunched over her completely, his upper body easily covering her own due to her legs being forced under herself by his. Ezreal squirms a bit, but there really isn't much she can do at all against this beast, especially in the cramped arrangement she's in.

It takes only moments after their repositioning for that familiar pain to trigger in her neck, but this is _far_ more agony than what is normal for this. Vladimir tugs, he bites multiple times in the same area, and he push far more pressure than usual into his bite; all in all, he's acting how he would with his usual prey. Ezreal screams against his hand, scratching the sheets underneath her as if to try and dull her pain. It does nothing, of course, and Vlad snarls right back and shakes his head to further add to that anguish. There is no holding back, it seems, except to keep her alive.

Greedily, Vladimir keeps his mouth to Ezreal's neck and feeds for quite some time, completely disregarding every limit he had placed for himself before now. Ezreal was considered as a human and treated as such, given far gentler handlings and feeding sessions than Vlad would usually ever do. Vladimir would do his best to ensure Ezreal didn't feel pain or discomfort unless he was a little peeved or joking, but even then it was only a small amount.

Now? Now he knows Ezreal, as an incubus, can heal from large amounts of blood loss, horrible wounds, and even broken bones or removed chunks of flesh if he wants to go that far. The young female hopes dearly he doesn't and remains quiet as best she can as if to show him she still cares and doesn't want him in trouble for this. Sadly, he pays it no attention and continues this way for far longer than he normally would. Ezreal begins to feel dizzy, and only then does Vlad heal her wound a bit then shove her right back off the bed.

It's cold and uncomfortable, but Ezreal has no will or energy to move. She spends the night shuddering when able, falling in and out of consciousness as her body tries desperately to heal itself.

-x-x-

Ezreal awakens on the floor, as to be expected, and is horribly groggy from lack of sleep. He hopes dearly but sadly in vain that this will be the final night like this, but sadly he is far from the truth. Days, weeks, _months_ pass in a similar fashion to this day, and Vlad only becomes more and more aggressive as time goes on. Dinners are silent between them, bedtime is horrific, and any time when Talon isn't in their home is pure torment. Vladimir, he…he treats the young blond just like anyone else, really.

Most days start with a struggle to wake up, and while Talon will sometimes let the boy sleep in, often times he refuses to do such as he assumes Vlad and Ezreal stayed up talking to something foolish like that. Ezreal trudges through the day as best he can, and Vlad follows him around for the most part, but the two hardly speak to one another. Vlad does, however, answer the question of why he is bothering to act like 'normal' around Talon and Swain when he clearly wants to do far more damage to the boy.

Basically, Vlad says he still likes having food handed to him and a place to stay that is not his former master's home. Vlad wouldn't answer why or anything else after that, but he made _very_ clear that Ezreal is by no means able to command or so much as request anything of him anymore, that the boy is essentially _his_ servant now to put it bluntly which Vladimir certainly did. In return for obeying the larger male, Ezreal remained relatively unharmed, but…but he still dearly missed being able to talk to Vlad or sleep with him or really anything.

Occasionally he would get to bathe with Vladimir again, but this was only to clean the creature as ordered and nothing more. Outside of requests like that, the two hardly ever spoke. Vlad would stand silently beside or behind the young male while Ezreal would do his studies, chores, and errands as per usual but without any of the side comments or pleasant conversation Vlad was so fond of doing before this happened.

Dinner tends to be pretty quiet as well, and when Vlad does decide to talk, it's to _Swain_ of all people. Ezreal's father eventually goes away on business as per usual, so after that it is just him, Vlad, and Talon left to sit awkwardly at the table in silence until Talon asks how the day has been and conversation starts. Vladimir is generally silent after this, rarely speaking unless necessary. Talon seems to notice that's a bit odd, but he's always hated Vladimir and assumes it is Vlad feeling sick or something, so he dismisses it. At least, this is Ezreal's assumption; one never knows what Talon is really thinking.

Bedtime is horrible. Vladimir makes that vicious feeding a routine thing, which Ezreal eventually finds himself somewhat thankful for as it does give him a short amount of sleep. Ezreal tries a few times to sleep on the couch across the room, only to be dragged right off and thrown to the ground beside Vlad's bed. Vladimir stresses the fact that he still has to protect Ezreal, after all, so the boy has to stay right nearby…on the ground. Needless to say, without a blanket or even a pillow, it is uncomfortable and nearly impossible to sleep in the cold.

Talon asks multiple times why the boy keeps ending up on the floor, but time and time again Ezreal tallies it up to being restless in his sleep for whatever reason. The assassin doesn't buy it, but doesn't seem to know what else to think. Ezreal climbs back onto the bed each time for show, and each time is met with the same punishment once Talon is certainly gone. Even if he jumps off the bed right as the door closes, quietly of course, Vlad will come down in a few moments and begin his usual assault. Each time this is more painful and vicious than the last, occasionally resulting in broken ribs if Ezreal isn't mistaken.

Even though Talon leaves them alone, Ezreal can't be sure how much the other has figured out. He's clever, as Ezreal has mentioned many times prior, and the assassin might know everything that's going on or nothing at all. Ezreal can't be certain, so he does his best to ensure Talon doesn't find out, assuming the other doesn't already know. True, his mother asks each day if he is doing alright, but this is done often enough as it is that Ezreal doesn't see it as any large hint, so he hopes and assumes the other is rather clueless to the situation.

Night after night Ezreal manages to follow this increasingly dull and depressing routine. Even with chores and errands changed daily, the fact that he can't sneak out into the woods or briefly stay at Vlad's home or do much of anything outside this house quickly eats at him. The lack of sleep is another huge toll taken, and Ezreal is left to wonder day in and day out how much longer he can live like this. He refuses to give in and tries without any success to talk to Vlad or assure the larger male that he still adores him, but…but none of it works. In fact, it likely makes things far worse each time he tries.

Months later, Talon walks in for his usual middle of the night check only to find Ezreal struggling to sit up, pitifully sobbing due to not only lack of sleep but the utter helplessness of his situation. His current physical pain doesn't help, either, but mostly it is due to the latter. He loves Vladimir, he doesn't want to give up on the larger male, but each time he tries to mend things between them it only ends in sorrow. Many nights he had contemplated going to his mother for help, only to think better of it when remembering just how much the assassin hates Vladimir. This would only make it worse…

After months, Talon finally appears to piece it together upon walking in on his son choking out sobs while trying desperately to find a comfortable position on the floor as Vladimir turns a complete blind eye to it all. Ezreal can tell by the other's expression how worried he is, but also how enraged he is that Vlad could suddenly and seemingly without reason become so cold. Talon likely isn't very surprised given his distaste for vampires, but--

His mother again moves to his side quickly, effortlessly picking Ezreal up while faintly hushing and murmuring to the younger male-- well, female now thanks to the trauma of that attack. It…it feels nice to be held so gently again, even if not by Vladimir. Ezreal drops in and out of consciousness on the way to what is no doubt her mother's bedroom, but she does faintly remember being asked questions on the way, not that he can remember them. Once there and set down on Talon's bed, her mother tucks her in then sits down on the side of the bed, gently moving the blonde's hair from her eyes.

"Are you alright?" Talon knows the answer to this, but is likely trying to see if Ezreal is willing to share what's been going on yet. As much as Ezreal doesn't want Vladimir in trouble, though the other no doubt is now anyway, she…she can't continue living so dreadfully. She needs to tell someone, she needs to finally express herself about this and figure out if Talon can help her.

With clear reluctance, Ezreal shakes her head, "No…my neck hurts, my back hurts, my sides hurt, my heart hurts…everything hurts, and no matter what I do it just keeps getting worse." She doesn't like crying, especially in front of her mother, but the lack of sleep makes controlling her already crushed emotions even more difficult-- no, _impossible_. The blonde's tears easily begin to appear once again, and she quickly turns her head away from her ever-attentive mother, though not at all much seeing as she _is_ lying down on her back. "Is this what it's like…? Is this how he…how he treats other people?"

Talon looks as if he clenches his teeth for a split second prior to replying, "Yes, this is how he treats others. This is how all vampires treat others, but I will not go on about that right now." He exhales, another flash of worry showing in his eyes, "Can you move your lower body? He did not sever your spinal column, did he?" The tone of his voice…it is bordering on anger, yet laced thoroughly with concern. Ezreal had no idea such a tone could be used by Talon, whom so usually sounds grumpy all the time.

She hadn't considered that he technically could have broken her back altogether, but it certainly hurts enough that it could be. Ezreal is, however, able to move her limbs with a bit of trouble, mostly exhaustion and blood loss being to blame, so that isn't a problem thankfully enough. The young female shakes her head, "No, I can move, it's just hard to." She does try to sit up after this by rolling onto her side then stomach shortly before trying to push herself up, but Talon quickly puts a stop to it and returns her to lying on her back.

"No, stay still and rest, Ezreal." The assassin offers a faint smile, something very rare for him unless it's tauntingly or something, "I will help you with your problem, but only because you two did not smooth things out by yourselves in a non-harmful way. It is important for you to learn how to fend for yourself and deal with your own tribulations, but I believe now I might as well step in. I do not want you hurt, you understand that, right? I might have known about this for some time, but it was never my intent for you to end up in such poor condition."

So…he did know. It doesn't surprise Ezreal and yet it does, seeing as she had hoped it wasn't very obvious…"How did you find out?" It's probably painfully evident how, the bed and lack of speaking between the two, but nevertheless Ezreal wants to see for sure how Talon pieced it together so quickly.

Her mother smoothes her hair, "You were not interacting often with your vile bodyguard when usually you will talk to him frequently, which was the most obvious giveaway. The one that sealed the deal was seeing you out of bed each night; something that never happens, yet kept happening all of the sudden. You wore those turtleneck sweaters to hide your neck more often than you usually would, you stopped sneaking out, you were even further behind in your studies than usual, and you were refusing to eat." Talon's gaze goes to her neck, the bruise on it from Vlad's first violent encounter with her long gone but the marks from his biting all too noticeable. Talon never stayed long while checking on Ezreal during bedtime, so the blonde only had to pull her shirt up a tiny bit to hide them rather than wear a scarf or something _very_ out of place.

Ezreal tugs her shirt collar up a bit to hide said marks, to which Talon gives no comment to directly. He does, however, start talking again, "I did not assume he would become so violent with you. Why did you never alert me to this? At the very least, I would have offered you advice for whatever you needed at the time." He appears to check her pulse by using her wrist, likely ensuring her heart rate is good enough to keep herself alive and healing. Though the assassin appears irritated again, he is relieved as well, "You should be fine, but you need to rest for awhile. Stay in here and sleep for the night, Ezreal. With Swain gone, it is not as if this huge bed will be overcrowded anytime soon with just us."

Valid as that point may be, Ezreal hates to intrude…but…she is in no position to debate over it or refuse the offer. The young blonde has slept on the ground for months now-- no, not even slept; she mostly ended up lying there each night awake and in a fair amount of pain. She reluctantly nods, closing her eyes with a somewhat content and yet sorrowful sigh, "What am I going to do? I can't stay in here with you forever…"

Talon runs a hand through his hair, an idle action he does sometimes though Ezreal isn't sure where he got the habit from or why, then turns his attention back to Ezreal, "That will depend on your answer, I suppose. How do you feel about Vladimir?" Ezreal is somewhat surprised Talon didn't ask that sooner, but is no less unnerved by it. If she answers honestly, will her mother get upset?

She breaks eye contact with the assassin, staring off into one of the room's corners instead, "I…" still love him after everything he's done? Yes. Vlad has all but disowned her, but she can't just flip a switch and stop adoring him. The young blonde has known him her whole life, and even if a fair amount of that wasn't very friendly or anything, Vlad warmed up to her in time and…and she fell for him even harder. He's been so kind, so giving, so pleasant to be around, so how else is she to feel about him, even after all of this?

Ezreal glances back over to Talon, "I still love him, dumb as it is." Might as well say it, Talon probably already knows anyway. "He was the first person to ever make me feel loved and that I loved so much in return; the first to treat me so kindly even if at first he was a little resentful of having to look after me, and the first that I felt like doing anything in the world for just to see him smile." He laughs a bit at his own stupid wording, but continues regardless of that. It seems he's calmed down enough to swap his gender back, too, which is a good sign. "He warmed up and then we would talk for hours or play games or…or really anything." He again breaks eye contact, this time simply because he doesn't feel like holding it anymore, "I miss him…I miss him a lot…it's so lonely without being able to talk to Vlad or even be near him without him getting upset…" Heartbreaking is more like it, but he stops there.

The assassin is quiet for awhile, his expression unreadable and of course there's no tone to judge his mood by either which leaves Ezreal completely clueless as to his mood. His eyes stay locked on the young blond, possibly waiting for a reply or maybe _really_ angry and considering how to express it. Great…now he might have two people miffed at him; Ezreal bites his tongue to keep from speaking further. He knew better than to answer so honestly, but--

"I see…" Talon finally speaks up, startling the young blond somewhat but _thankfully_ not sounding angry. Then again, Talon waited so long to reply he might have shoved that down by now. "Stay here and rest, I will see what I can do to fix this mess." That…that isn't the response Ezreal expected. The boy blinks, but smiles in spite of being as tired and upset as he is. Talon almost appears to perk up a little at that, but it could be a trick from Ezreal's own exhausted eyes.

He leans down to briefly kiss Ezreal's forehead, a rare but welcome goodnight gesture, prior to standing up off the bed, the springs creaking as he does so, then walk out the door.


	2. Vladimir

Vladimir abruptly finds himself facedown on the floor, woken rudely from his otherwise peaceful slumber. It takes him a bit longer than normal to get his bearings and realize what happened due to having been asleep mere moments ago, but when he does start to lift himself off the ground he is swiftly met with resistance. That is, a certain someone's boot stomping on his back right between his shoulder blades; how charming.

"We need to talk." Talon's calm, though bordering enraged judging from his heartbeat, voice cuts through the otherwise silent room, earning Vladimir's full attention for all of a few moments. Ugh, not this disgusting creature again. Has he not already had enough of these beasts during the hours of the day? Apparently not…he sighs, though his temper is quickly starting to get the better of him.

He grunts, sitting up and easily ignoring that vermin's strongest attempts at keeping him down, "No, we do not, seeing as you decided to kick me out of my bed." Vladimir gets about half way to his knees then is stomped on again, the sudden force a bit painful with those boot's heels stabbing into his backbone. So much for being a 'different' incubus, the rotten swine. "Cease that before I tear your leg off, I will not warn you again."

Talon scowls and would have said something while once again stomping on his spine, but Vladimir pushes himself right off the ground and leaves the revolting creature slightly off balance for but a second. How could that moronic beast not think that he could sit up whenever he truly wanted to? Oh, if Ezreal were not so caring for her parents-- wait…what is he even thinking? He no longer worries about that deceptive mutt's feelings, why should he spare her mother?

While not the most agile of creatures, Vladimir turns around to lunge at a speed far quicker than what he usually uses while merely hunting or in previous petty squabbles with this vermin. Talon looks mildly surprised for a split second, but easily dodges nonetheless; he's a far quicker breed than Vladimir is used to seeing in his kind. What did his sordid parents put into this wretched beast? He shakes his head, mostly due to the fact he nearly rammed it into the wall, then turns around and lunges blindly.

By this time, Talon has shown his true colors, so to speak, and now has those horns, tail, and claws the species is so famous for as well as a large pair of bat-like wings which keep him airborne well above the ground. Bat-like is a loose term; personally, they look more like those of a deformed dragon to Vladimir. The larger creature scoffs, again landing on the ground without hitting his target. Talon is difficult to catch, but weak when caught; this will be over the moment that repulsive _thing_ is pinned and able to be torn apart properly.

Many of the ceilings in this mansion are rather high, more than enough for something of Talon's breed to take flight in, and while likely it was more intended for Swain practicing battle maneuvers in his raven form, it is suspiciously compatible with an incubus' needs in terms of aerial attacks and dodges. It also helps those massive bookshelves reach to the height they need in order to hold as many novels and tomes as required of them, but they serve a much better purpose now in helping Vladimir have a much better thing to leap from than the ground or a wall.

His enemy dives down swiftly, his claws cloaked in razor-like shadows as per the usual incubus' preference in attack. Vladimir dodges, though he sustains a small scratch on his left arm, then jumps upward to try and snatch the beast's tail. Incubi are nightmarish creatures in lore, mostly due to the shadows they prefer to lurk in and, quite literally, use for attack. They can shroud their claws in darkness or seemingly melt into it, appearing elsewhere in mere seconds. This is why they were thought to have been mere nightmares, not actual creatures.

Talon, unfortunately, has far more control over his tail than, say, Ezreal and easily moves it out of the way before Vladimir can grasp it properly to tug him down. Shame, it would have been far more painless than the next strategy he has in store for that disgusting creature. Cat-like in sound produced and grace of the action, Vladimir lands back down only to quickly jump back up again; no, not toward Talon, but the far right bookshelf instead. Surprisingly, it stands despite Vladimir's weight landing atop it then crouching to wait for a better chance to pounce again.

The other beast stays at the far side of the room, well aware that Vladimir wants him closer and not at all willing to give him the ease of attack by doing such. No matter, he does not _need_ the other to be close in order to hit his mark-- but the other landing does make it easier. Vladimir lunges the very second Talon decides to rest on the opposite bookcase, only to hit nothing at all in that the disgraceful creature sinks right into the shadows produced by the lack of lighting in this room. Charming, as always.

Vladimir hits the wall head-on then grasps at the bookshelf to try and keep himself up, only to bring the whole thing toppling down. Thankfully, he crawls up it and jumps off before it hits the ground; Talon, however, was emerging from the other end looks up just in time to find himself smashed under the large wooden object and countless books. Good riddance. Vladimir lands right on the fallen shelf in the same manner as before despite no one being around to witness it anymore. That was far easier than even he suspected.

Triumphantly, he grins and gives another snarl, stomping one foot down on the spot that vermin was moments ago; one down, two to go, he guesses. Might as well get rid of the lot then take their home, seeing as the largest threat is dead and gone-- or, perhaps, not so much. Vladimir is either kicked, pushed, or smacked with that tail of his all the way across the room and into the wall near Vladimir's bed. He winces, shaking his head to steady his vision and ease the pain, as if it does any good, then pushes himself off the ground.

"You _really_ didn't think I would be killed so easily, did you?" Talon is on the ground again, completely unharmed; sickening beast must have sunk back down into the shadows the second he noticed he was in danger. Vladimir grunts, but doesn't reply verbally beyond that prior to leaping again. This time, he hits his mark, if only slightly.

He was trying to grab one of Talon's wings, but ended up slashing the creature's arm and nicking a wing instead, causing minimal damage but a little pain nevertheless. Talon hisses at this, checking his arm immediately and for good reason; vampires are known to coat their claws in their own venom, even if Vladimir himself rarely does this. While distracted for that moment, Vladimir pounces once again, this time aiming higher than he normally would in an attempt to compensate for how swift Talon is to dodge; unfortunately, it does not work this time.

While mildly concerned over his wound, Talon does not allow it to consume his full attention, as to be expected of an assassin even if Vladimir thinks so lowly of him. The other is likely trying to get him to tire out, which will take _far_ longer than the other might suspect even if he was woken up without a full rest. This is nothing compared to what his master-- _former_ master would train him in. Blood and pain were part of a daily routine, and that vampire was far more threatening than Talon is.

Vladimir grits his teeth a bit, noting the venom that drips from them due to his 'battle frenzy' as his mentor called it, then leaps again. Talon dodges this time, but delivers a blow of his own as well and once again sends Vladimir across the room. It is, again, something he thinks of as not even the slightest bit painful or dangerous to him. Vladimir hits a desk near the corner opposite the door, easily smashing it to mere splinters, then stands up right after. Talon, however, is right on him before that.

Quick as he is in comparison to Vladimir, deadly as he is to humans, frightening as he may be to the common beast, Talon is no Dmitri. His attacks cut through flesh and scrape bone; agonizing as it is, he does not tear out organs and he does not attempt to crush his skull. Vladimir snarls back, giving a slash himself and forcing Talon to either retreat back or catch his hand-- he does the latter, removing one bloodied hand from play and exposing himself for the split second needed for Vladimir to heave forward and clamp his fangs on the incubi's neck.

Talon hisses again, certainly the quietest expression of pain Vladimir has ever heard upon doing this, and pulls back only to fall right onto his back. Venom is one of many tools a vampire can use, and in varying doses it ranges from lethal to painful or paralyzing. Due to this beast's unknown lineage, disgusting as he may be it is a mystery to Vladimir if his enemy will die or merely freeze in place when Talon's system is pumped full of the toxin. One thing is certain, however, and that is that it will hurt be it due to the deep bite, tearing, or the venom itself.

He would smile if he could, but his focus lies in further tearing the beast's neck as well as ensuring he uses every last bit of venom in his reserves to kill or paralyze this revolting creature. Talon seems mostly unaffected so far by the toxin, but the bite is proving fairly painful and disorienting in and of itself-- the tail now wound around Vladimir's neck, however, shows there is still fight left in this beast. The assassin's free hand claws against Vladimir's chest and underbelly before the vampire grabs it and pushes it to the ground; the same fate befalls the second hand that so tries this. The tail, however, was not accounted for and there is nothing Vladimir can do to get it off his neck.

As his bite increases in pressure, so too does the black, snake-like thing coiled around his neck. Vladimir attempts to clench his teeth due to the pain, both of lacking air and the tightness of that appendage, but this only furthers his pain. While oxygen deprivation will not kill him completely, it will eventually knock him out cold; naturally, this can lead to death if Talon continues to attack. It will lead to a loss to this beast either which way, and that is not acceptable by any means.

Vladimir shakes his head, tearing further into the incubi's neck, but ultimately releases his grip on the other's throat in order to free his mouth to try and breathe again. His clawed feet scrape the ground below, trying to find the base of that obsidian tail, but with no luck. Finally, in a desperate attempt to free himself, Vladimir releases one of Talon's arms in order to grab the assassin's tail and yank at it. It hurts himself more than Talon, clearly, whom so is trying to breathe himself due to the large, bloodied hole in his neck, so that plan does not work out so well.

Next, he uses his claws. Tough as the skin on Talon's tail may be, it is deceptively sensitive even in battle and slicing at it with his sharpened claws will easily cut the thing off altogether or remind Talon to remove it unless the other wants it _completely_ removed. This does free him from that black snake, which means Vladimir is once again able to breathe and does not have to resort to pulling out the tail altogether via the base of the spine. He ends up panting, much like the repulsive creature he still straddles, and doesn't much care if the two of them remain in close quarters anymore; all he wants is air back in his system.

Talon chokes a few times, spitting out blood on several occasions during their temporary ceasefire of sorts, while Vladimir notes not only is his throat crushed and attempting to heal itself but his neck bones were eerily close to a similar fate. Even so, he considers himself on the better end of things as he does not have a bleeding pit for a throat and is no longer struggling as much to breathe. Part of that might be the toxin trying to shut down the muscles in Talon's lungs. The sooner the better.

Finally well enough to be appalled, Vladimir kicks the other away from him; his throat is still healing, so for now it is best he not go jumping around or biting things. Talon will likely die soon enough anyway, so no big deal. He coughs a few times, though not as harshly as Talon, and rubs at his throat even if it does not help a thing. All he wants to do now is sleep, and that is what he turns toward _his_ bed to do. Sure, he has to walk over several thousand books and a giant, broken bookshelf, but he finally plops back down with what would have been a sigh but quickly turns into a coughing fit. Best to not push himself with any noises.

That vermin continues coughing over in that corner, but as minutes pass it becomes less of a wet sound and more just to clear his throat; incubi should not heal that quickly…Vladimir grunts to himself then nuzzles his pillow, unwilling to deal with it anymore. Angry as he is, Vladimir considers it a victory if not a tame one due to the fact Talon is still able to breathe and is plenty satisfied with it. His throat heals up quickly, but he remains uninterested in fighting again and tries to sleep despite the coughing dying down and the growl on the other side of the room.

Footsteps start on their way back over to the bed, and Vladimir groans to show his irritation before sitting back up again. Talon will probably kick him again if he doesn't sit up anyway, so no sense in trying if the stupid mutt is going to stick around. Vladimir watches silently as the other steps over that bookcase and so on and so forth; the assassin is standing by the bed after a bit of walking, his neck still bearing a small wound in its attempts to heal.

Vladimir frowns; he should be unable to breathe, much less move, with that much toxin in his system. Talon looks a little sluggish, but that's not much…how irritating. The vermin appears unwilling to fight again, for now at least, and instead speaks up, "Okay, you had your foolish brawl, now listen to me, vampire." His voice sounds a little off, possibly due to the internal bits of his throat still patching up, but no less angry. Figures he would stick around to taunt or something.

He sighs, but waves the other off, "Sure, sure, talk away you rat-tailed maid." It is clear enough he will not be getting any sleep until this filthy creature says whatever it is he wants to say, so might as well let him talk. Vladimir leans back on the pillows below him, not bothering to turn and face the other completely, merely acknowledging the assassin's presence by glancing at him from the corner of his eye. This visibly irritates the other-- a few more seconds would have proved that without looking, as Vladimir once again finds himself on the floor. How nice.

"Tell me, maid," Vladimir grunts, hefting himself up from the floor then 'dusting' himself off, "do you enjoy treating your betters so poorly or is it because you are so familiar with the ground below our feet that you try and bring them to your home turf when bickering?" He notes another scowl and one of those long, unshadowed claws twitch in response, but no attack is made this time. Vladimir smirks, but humors the other and remains quiet after this.

Talon must figure that another fight will null the chance of speaking, and he is correct, so he does not lunge or snarl or whip his tail at the vampire, "I came here to speak about this incident with Ezreal, not throw petty insults at each other until you resort to physical violence." Vladimir frowns, but quickly stops himself from attacking again. Ezreal, huh? The little runt has been occupying his mind for awhile, though not in a positive way as of late. Disgusting beast.

Sighing, Vladimir sits on the edge of the bed, "What of the deceitful little monster?" As much as he would enjoy the little beastie as a companion once again, the fact that Ezreal has been trying to trick him this entire time makes that impossible to do. He should have known, but he trusted his taste despite knowing incubi can and do sometimes not quite taste like what they truly are. It is a genetic defense they have in which they will occasionally take on the smell and taste of the creature bred with most recently, but this is only a _possible_ occurrence.

Sometimes, the offspring will take on almost all the smells and abilities of the other parent, losing its incubus or succubus heritance almost completely in what is the least desired of all possible outcomes for the two species. Another is a hybrid that adopts bits from both parents, but some abilities are lost or weakened in this process. The final and most desired that Vladimir cares to list or remember is one where the abilities from both parents are added but not lost, producing a more powerful creature with the drive to create many more disgusting beasts. There are countless more, but again Vladimir does not care to run them through his mind.

The other, again, glares shortly before he raises his voice, "My son is no monster and you are well aware of that! You have loved him for years yet only now have disowned him because you found out, _shockingly_ , he is like his mother and has inherited incubi abilities as well as physical assets." Talon steps forward threateningly, however Vladimir makes no move away from this. He isn't fazed and will welcome the other to attack first; physical combat is something he will easily win in, as seen before. "Ezreal is still the same person whom loves you and _you_ admitted many times over to adore."

Vladimir grunts, "She lied to me. Your little mutt claimed to be human and promised to tell me _everything_ only to turn around and slap me in the face by attempting to trick me. True, I loved her, but only because _she_ wanted me to. Your deceptive spawn would have easily had me sleep with her as many times as needed for her to bear child then toss me out for another later on." He scoffs, crossing his arms, "It is never any different with your kind, and I am a fool for not realizing it sooner. I should have known her mother would set her up with a mate."

Unsurprisingly, Talon snaps once again and is gripping Vladimir rather tightly by the shoulders in but a second after those words are said, easily pulling the larger male off the bed and slamming him into the nearby wall. The incubus bares his sharp teeth and slams Vladimir against that wall several times, stopping only to ensure he is heard, "He is not attempting to trick you! My son is _nothing_ like those monsters you hear of doing that, he would _never_ do that!" Another harsh slam, but Vladimir is more amused than hurt by it, "I know your skull is thick, but even you should have the intelligence to know that my son never once showed _any_ indications of being an incubus until you walked in on him exposing his horns and tail!"

True as it may be, incubi and succubi are renowned for their acting, so it is no surprise at all that Vladimir never once caught on. He hates himself for falling for this, but he cannot blame himself for it. "True, but is that not the point of their ruse? If I had known, then your little daughter never would have caught my eye and thus she would have never bothered with me again. Your kind know a lost cause when they see it, she would not have wasted her time." He huffs, purposely blowing in Talon's face, "If she truly were not trying to trick me, then she would have told me her species sooner. Her lying only proves her guilt."

Yet another slam against that wall and another raise in volume by Talon, "He only lied because he knew you would react like _this_! You are too close-minded to see how kind he has been throughout the years, and my son knew the second you found out you would never see him in the same light again!" His claws dig into Vladimir's shoulder; _that_ gets a growl from the vampire and a slight resistance before once again getting slammed back. "My son's blood does not make him a bad person, it does not make him any less than you, and it does not make him a monster! My son is a kind, generous person whom found out he is a species you despise and panicked, then attempted to hide the fact so _this_ would not happen!"

Vladimir opens his mouth, but is quickly spoken over instead, "No, you let me finish, parasite!" Talon's claws dig in a little further, to which Vladimir again snarls; it does not hurt too much, but it is starting to annoy him. "His species does not change who he has been to you all these years; he loves you even if I believe he should not, and he has stood up for you even when you treat him as if he were nothing more than dirt under your loathsome boots! My son has remained completely loyal to you in spite of everything you have put him through and _still_ follows your every whim! Tell me, Vladimir, what reason could there possibly be for you to despise him?!"

Many, many reasons, really, but the most blatant one is the lying. One lie means there are more, and little ones he cares not for, it is this _huge_ one that has him irate. Vladimir pushes the other's chest, though Talon resists moving far, "Several, but again the most blaring is deception. Why would she promise to tell all, then turn around and hide something like that? Yes, I would have been upset, but had she told me it would put less suspicion on her trying to deceive me. Most incubi do not reveal themselves to their prey, _especially_ not vampires which often require more breeding attempts than most other creatures. For this reason, no matter what, I will suspect her of trickery."

This time around, Talon begins to speak but Vladimir interrupts by growling then 'attempting' to slash the vermin's chest; it is a distraction, but it works and he ends up with the creature's tail around his wrist. It hurts a bit, as Talon squeezes the arm he has captured, but it is nothing too terrible. "Now I speak, you stay quiet!" He bares his fangs right back at Talon, noting not even so much as a wince from the assassin. Pity. "Your repulsive little daughter, if she were telling the truth, would never be so loyal to a man whom so has caused nothing but hell on earth for her these past months. She would never, _never_ want to be with someone such as that unless it were only for a short, brief time to pass on genes to another just as disgusting creature--!"

Talon's tail tightens around Vladimir's wrist while his claws dig in to the bone, "You imbecile! My son still loves you because you are the first to have devoted yourself so completely to him! You are, to put it plainly, his first love and he is unwilling to allow someone he has known for years slip by him simply because he is now known to be a different species!" With a clear amount of effort, Talon lowers his voice a bit, "Ezreal's species, his blood, his genes, whatever makes him up as a creature, does not govern how he is as a person. It might have some say in things here or there, but it does not automatically make him a vile beast such as yourself."

"As much as I dislike the idea, my son loves you unconditionally and absolutely refuses to give up on winning you over once again. He insists that because you came to love a human, a species you also dislike, you can come to love an incubus." Talon's nails retreat slightly from Vladimir's shoulder, though not much, and his tail mimics such with how much muscle it puts into crushing the vampire's arm. "I want my son to be happy, even if I disagree with his choice, and I see no reason for you to dislike him for being an incubus when you already despise humans and considered him such."

Vladimir sneers, "Simple, because your kind take all that is rotten in humans, which is most of everything in them, and multiply it indefinitely. On top of that, your disgusting kind have the added bonus of deceiving others or outright forcing them into mating with you so you can steal their abilities, lifespan, or what have you and pass them on to the next generation of your putrid kind so they, too, can continue the trend. It is a vicious, revolting cycle that has not and will not end. It is how your kind is designed and how they will continue to be."

The assassin seems unsurprised, likely used to such foul words aimed at him, and quickly snaps back, "Except that not _all_ of us are like that! Much like how you assumed all humans to be vile beasts, you found Ezreal to be a kind, fluke of nature and adored him for it. My son became the only creature you would ever be decent to, and in the process you pretended to soften up to Swain so you could stay with my son. One does not go through years of loving someone then abruptly hate them, and I know you are certainly not the type to do so!"

True as that may be, Vladimir scoffs, "You know nothing of me." He shoves the other's chest for emphasis, not out of trying to free himself. Irritated as he is, the topic interests him and he does not feel up to derailing it quite yet.

Again, the assassin frowns, "I know that you are no longer fulfilling your duties as my son's bodyguard and I will dismiss you should this continue." Talon's tone is back to normal, as is the expression on his face; really, now, resorting to that?

Uneasy as the idea is, Vladimir grunts at it, "I am protecting her just fine, maid. She has had not one creature harm her in months, if not a year. None dare touch her with me around, meaning I have done an excellent job and far better than any other you could possibly find." It is, again, true; none but himself have harmed her recently, and he cannot even be counted. Her health is fine, and thus she is still protected. "No other bodyguard would love her as I did or treat her as I did, so there is no point in replacing me for someone less competent. I am merely doing my job now without becoming attached to my client."

Talon shakes his head, scowling once again, "No, you are not. My son is exhausted and riddled with wounds on his neck, chest, back, and possibly elsewhere; he is in the same condition he would be if he were being held captive by some group of thugs looking for ransom money." He tightens his grip on Vladimir's shoulders again, but refrains from using his nails this time around. "I will easily be able to find someone to protect him, and while they will likely never fill the gap in his heart that will result, at least he will be able to survive and move on."

Vladimir utters a low growl; great, simply great. The only reason he stayed here is due to the fact he does not wish to return to his own home for…various reasons. One of which being he owes a certain someone and does not wish to further his debt, even if the other insists it is nonexistent. So, now he must either swallow his pride and go back to face the one whom so has done everything for him and he has yet to do anything for in return or pretend to care for some disgusting creature. As always, such _fantastic_ choices.

Perhaps if he allows the smaller vermin to lie on some cushions or something and does not feed from her as often it will be reasonable enough improvement. Vladimir sighs, "Fine, I will be slightly more polite to your disgusting little daughter. I will not, however, treat her as I did in the past as you seem so adamant to have me do for absolutely no reason at all besides your usual ruse. Try as you might, I will not see her as anything more than the repulsive monster she is."

Once again, Vladimir is slammed against the wall by his shoulders and yelled at; this incubus' temper is even worse than his own. "My son is _not_ a monster! Vladimir, I swear to you, if you break his heart by continuing to act so cruelly to him, I _will_ tear out yours and crush it as you watch! He loves you entirely even after everything; do _not_ make him regret his choice in trusting you!" Such a harsh threat that holds absolutely no ground; the one before was more intimidating, frankly.

"Yes, she is, you filthy maid!" His teeth are bared and his posture turns as aggressive as it can while pinned to a wall shortly before the larger creature scoffs, "You should be well aware by now, one of the biggest differences between you and I is that I will survive that while you will not. Think a little more carefully if you are going to try and threaten me with death, it is better to do it right than mess up and get killed by your would-be victim. You should know this, as an assassin." Painful as it is, and yes, Vladimir does know firsthand, it will not kill him. Tearing it out completely will actually cause _less_ pain, as then he will not be able to feel it be crushed…again, he knows this personally.

A similar sound to Vladimir's scoffing huff is made by Talon, though it is clear he is struggling not to yell again, "Killing was not the intention, as that would only further upset my son. _You_ of all should know that, vampire, given the amount of time you have spent with Ezreal over the years. Unlike you, I am more interested in Ezreal's feelings than my own, and I want him to be happy rather than depressed his mother killed the man he so loves."

Another grunt, "As if you monsters concern yourselves in the slightest about anyone or anything besides yourselves. You put her in the care of a vampire, knowing full and well I hated her, and left us alone for days, even weeks on end. Even now you refused to help until she was near death, and thus useless to your disgusting cause." Vladimir notes the anger flashing in Talon's eyes at such a statement and expects a great deal of yelling as well as a matching number of times being slammed against the wall his back is still against.

Strangely, rather than yell or return to violence, Talon almost appears to realize something then smirks. This action is proud, arrogant; these are both nothing something of his lowbred, pathetic species should be allowed or able to express yet he does regardless. Vile beast. "How many times did you _actually_ mate with my son?" Well, that was not expected.

Vladimir blinks, more out of shock than actual confusion, "Really, now? You are lucky I am uncaring of such things or _accusations_ and will answer you regardless of how revolting your suggestion is. My species, unlike you or your species, do not mate unless we are completely certain this is the one we will spend our life with. One reason is due to disgusting creatures such as yourself while others range to moral or genetic reasons." He huffs, again blowing in the assassin's face, "To answer, none. Your deceptive mutt became unnerved by simple things, I never even thought to attempt anything big or beyond undemanding 'playing'." What a moronic question, and out of nowhere, no less. To think Talon claims to be different, then turns right around and inquires if his vile daughter has-- wait…

The change in Vladimir's expression gets a chuckle from Talon, "Precisely why I asked. My son is no monster, and if he were trying to fool you as you so claim, he would have taken any chance provided. You of all creatures know, our kind are generally opportunistic by nature," that is an understatement if Vladimir has ever heard one, "and if Ezreal were trying to trick you, he would be unsure how long you might continue to fall for his ruse. He would take any and every chance given, and you would have been none the wiser."

Complete silence. Vladimir frowns; despise Talon as he does, the assassin makes a valid point that he had never considered. There were many a time Ezreal had the chance to urge Vladimir further in their play, but the deceiving female never once took them and that in and of itself pushes doubt right into Vladimir's face. An incubus or succubus refusing to mate with something is comparable to a starving feral vampire refusing to eat fresh human flesh and blood which, needless to say, _never_ happens.

Disgusting as that lying beast is, Ezreal is _unlikely_ , but not to the point of being impossible, to be attempting to seduce him simply because she wants vampiric genes in her children…this is both wonderful and terrible to hear. Vladimir shakes his head, easily shoving the incubus away from him; Talon allows it this time, stepping to the side as Vladimir stomps past him, "Get out! I need to rest and am no longer in any mood to speak to your disgusting face! Your daughter is a monster and no amount of arguing will change it, so out!" He needs to think, and he will never get time to do so if Talon keeps spouting out garbage.

Talon raises his hands in a clearly mock defense, then mumbles, "Whatever you say." And leaves without further argument. That…that disgusting, vile beast thinks he has won, and the thought of it alone makes his blood boil in his veins and has the large beast growling all the way up until the door closes. That said, his crippling confusion is keeping his temper in check well enough that Talon is able to leave and head wherever it is he pleases without being torn into little bits. Wretched beast.

Vladimir utters a low snarl, then returns to _his_ bed and plops down; Talon might have brought up fair points, but his mind is set. Ezreal, love her as he did, is a monster and lied to his face about it. That lying suggests trickery even if Ezreal did not take her chances…which still bothers him. That mutt could have easily mated with him, he adored Ezreal as he has no one else prior, but she did not and instead became too uneasy to even play certain 'games' with him. Vampire courtship is a long, strange process and often times the two involved will 'play' at the end of the day to test their comfort levels. Ezreal understood this, or claimed to, and allowed it to an extent.

Uneasy as Talon's disgusting daughter acted in such encounters, she would even request to play with him on some occasions or retry previous things that made her uncomfortable, determined to get past such and move on to the next. Vladimir smiles in spite of himself, his eyes fixed on the blank ceiling above; she was a kind, strong-minded creature and far more charming than the large male ever assumed she would be. That said, it is likely due to her species he began to fall for her after hating her with such a passion for so many years. Vladimir once again frowns, huffing then turning to lie on his side. Disgusting beasts.

Even so, he has to consider both options now that such a thing has been brought up. It makes no sense unless Ezreal is completely and utterly hopeless at seduction, which is possible, or is some sort of strange, shy incubus trying to use Vladimir in order to become as bold as her vile mother is. Another possibility is that the pest is trying some strange new form of deception, but that is highly unlikely granted how awful the idea is. Vladimir grunts-- then finds himself sniffing at the pillow beside him as he so often has, even while enraged with his companion, then humming pleasantly to himself shortly thereafter. Ah, he does miss her dearly, even if he will not admit it to anyone else and hardly does to himself…she was good company and kinder than most anyone he has met, save but one other creature.

While one more inclined to solitude, Vladimir has enjoyed and even craved Ezreal's affections and interaction for some time now, even if years prior he would snap at the pitiful beast or kick her away from him. Come to think of it, he acted much as he does currently sans the seemingly limitless abhorrence over being lied to by a repulsive beast such as an incubus. Sure, he detests humans greatly and thought Ezreal to be one, but that was nothing compared to this.

It took most of the years he has spent caring for Ezreal as well as the time with the young beast around him in general, but only within the last five or so has he become infatuated with her to the point of desiring the young female as a possible mate. Again, this has happened only one other time within his memory and the results of that are…questionable. It seems this result is far more negative, which leaves him both with an ache in his chest and a headache from anger. Vladimir shoves his face into the pillow in his arms; enough of that topic, he needs to focus on Ezreal herself right now. What is he to do now?

Talon demanded he be kinder, so the large creature plans to allow Ezreal to sleep on some cushions or something beside the bed and to not be fed off of as often. That should be enough, yes? It had better be, there is no way he can go back to talking so kindly to that revolting beast after such a fuss, but much more the lies she fed him for one only knows how long. Vladimir exhales in a long, drawn out manner; the doubt Talon planted in his head is far more potent than expected. What is he to do?

With another sniff, Vladimir settles down to sleep after such a tiresome battle-- or, rather, a tiresome day in general. Once morning comes, he can figure out what to do. For awhile, it should be enough to keep the young deceiver healthy enough for her mother to stop hounding him about it yet give the vampire an acceptable amount of space to think and keep that mutt enough away from him that he does not become enraged each second of each day.


End file.
